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England invented it. America has attempted it. The Japanese perfected it. “It” being the moderately priced, front-engine roadster. How the tables have turned over the years. In little more than a decade, the Mazda Miata became the world’s best-selling sports car. The prides of Britain–Triumph and MG–are long gone. And America has never really been in the game.

The balance changes with the arrival of the Pontiac Solstice, with its fraternal twin, the Saturn Sky, not far behind. By now, you know the new General Motors entries will run headlong into a new-from-scratch Miata–sorry, MX-5. The Miata name has been dumpstered for 2006, tossing away immeasurable brand equity for reasons nobody understands.

The Solstice rides on GM’s new “Kappa” rear-drive chassis architecture and is powered by a 2.4-liter, 177-horsepower version of the Ecotec I-4 found in everything from Cobalts to Euro-market Opel minivans. A five-speed manual transmission is standard, and an optional five-speed automatic will be phased in as production ramps up. Suspension is via upper/lower control arms front and rear, and four-wheel disc brakes and 18-inch alloy wheels are standard. The styling is like nothing else, the hood opens clamshell style, and the folding cloth top recesses beneath the rear deck. The Solstice is GM product chieftain Bob Lutz’s personal baby, and he promised it would base at less than $20 grand. Which it does, by a five-spot.

In spite of the dumb name thing, Mazda knew enough not to mess with a winning formula, yet changed every nut, bolt, and grommet to arrive at this third-generation MX-5. It’s two inches longer and 1.6 inches wider than the car it replaces, yet overall weight is about the same, depending upon options. The wheelbase has increased by 2.5 inches, opening up the cabin and giving the car a beefier stance. Too many American males branded the Miata a chick car, so a more macho look was important–and achieved. A fresh 2.0-liter four makes 170 horsepower over a wider powerband than the previous car’s 1.8. A five-speed manual is standard, a six-speed stick is available, and the optional automatic also has six ratios. The chassis is stiffer,

the convertible top design has been simplified, and safety and standard equipment levels have increased.

The biggest number to crunch is 402–as in how many pounds heavier the Solstice is than the MX-5, at least based on these two test cars. Mazda‘s made a lot of noise about how lightness has been “engineered in” to the MX-5, but it’s legit. It’s this weight differential that sets the tone for this pair’s relative performance and driving personas. The objective numbers are close; the subjective differences between them greater.

The Solstice is just a tenth slower (6.7 seconds versus 6.6) to 60 mph than the MX-5. A seven-horsepower advantage isn’t enough to erase a 400-pound weight differential. But the Solstice has 26 more pound-feet of torque: 166 compared with 140. And the Mazda’s close-ratio six-speed requires a shift to third to reach 60, whereas the Pontiac gets there in second. The MX-5’s slim lead widens a bit in the quarter-mile times. The MX-5 clears 1320 feet in 15.1 seconds at 91.2 mph, with the Solstice still close at 15.3 seconds at 89.6 mph.

Both machines have strong, four-wheel disc brakes, so this area proved a virtual draw, the MX-5 stopping from 60 in 113 feet to the Solstice’s 117. The Mazda cleared our slalom course at 66.5 mph, just nipping the Pontiac’s 66.1-mph performance. How they got there, however, felt way different. The Pontiac turns in sharply and has good front-end bite, staying neutral until the limit is approached, then it fades to mild understeer. “The chassis works well and is predictable,” notes test-driver Chris Walton, “but it feels like it’s getting away with more because the tires are so wide.” The MX-5 is more knife-edged and precise, staying neutral longer. It’s also more easily provoked into oversteer. “It reminds me of a junior version of the Lotus Elise,” says Walton. “There’s a fair amount of body roll, but it sticks well, with communication, and is so precise that I could make mid-corner adjustments.”

Even though the MX-5 has less torque, the close-ratio six-speed helps keep the engine on boil. It makes a lusty combination of intake, mechanical, and exhaust noises and always feels ready to go play. The Solstice’s Ecotec four isn’t the smoothest lump ever born, yet it has a pleasant exhaust note and isn’t too thrashy. It’s not as eager to rev as the Miata motor and gets the job done with midrange torque instead of top-end power. There’s considerable rpm falloff on the 2-3 shift; a six-speed would make a serious difference.

Both cars ride well considering their handling-biased mission. The Solstice’s wider track, longer wheelbase, greater weight, and milder springing give it the advantage here. Mid-corner bumps more easily upset the MX-5, while the Solstice stays planted with no side stepping, for the same reasons noted above. Both have well-weighted, communicative steering, and their structures feel solid and structurally sound.

Inside, the Solstice’s wraparound IP is all about the driver. It’s got more legroom than the MX-5 and feels wider, too. Tops up, the Pontiac has more headroom by several inches. There are, however, several ergonomic flaws. There’s no easily reachable center-console storage and no door pockets, although some are at the front of the seats. The cupholders spring out of the rear bulkhead, making them tough to reach. And the window switches are mounted too far aft on the door panels, forcing you to reach back to operate them. These are curious design mistakes on a new platform planned from scratch as a two-seater.

The MX5’s cabin isn’t as swoopy looking, but is easy to live with. The window switches are mounted just behind the shifter. The center cupholders are easy to reach, too, but the pair in the doors will bang your shins. (Why, by the way, are four cupholders required in a two-seater car–how many lattes should one juggle while driving?) The more complete gauge cluster is easy to read. Plastics and other materials are of good quality, a smidge ahead of the Solstice’s. The MX-5’s longer wheelbase improves cabin room compared with the previous Miata, although it’s still snug for over-six-footers. Tie game in terms of seats; both have chairs bolstered well enough to keep you in place when corner carving, yet comfy enough for everyday use and long hauls.

A word about pricing and equipment levels. As noted, the Solstice bases at $19,995, including destination charges; our tester had the Power, Convenience, and Premium equipment packages, plus air-conditioning, ABS, and a few other options that brought the total to $23,785. Our MX-5 was a Grand Touring model, which includes a lot of normally optional hardware in its $24,995 base price. If our Solstice were equipped with the top audio combo (Monsoon sound/CD6/MP3) at $890, roughly equaling the MX-5 Grand Touring’s premium Bose system, the price difference would be less than a grand in the Pontiac’s favor.

General Motors can take pride in what it’s accomplished. The Solstice is a real sports car and not the topless poseur enthusiasts feared. It’ll sell on looks and value alone. But if the Solstice is a solid runner, the MX-5 is a fleet-footed sprinter, delivering a more athletic, lithe drive in most every respect.

The MX-5’s engine is smoother and happier to rev than the Solstice’s. The MX-5 has a more communicative chassis, and it feels every one of those 400 pounds lighter and more responsive than the Pontiac. This Grand Touring model, as equipped with the optional Sport Suspension package (revised anti-roll bars, Bilstein shocks, limited-slip diff), won every performance contest, although the margins were small. The Solstice’s top design is fussier than it needs to be; the MX-5’s couldn’t be simpler. The Mazda’s interior is of higher quality and beautifully packaged. While the Solstice’s cabin is comfy and racy looking, it suffers from a dearth of storage, a few ergonomic hiccups, and cheapoplasticity.

All things considered, Mazda is still the established master of the compact, affordable roadster game.

Top TalkMazda and Pontiac take decidedly different approaches to going topless. The Solstice’s decklid is hinged at the rear and opens via the remote fob. The top unlocks via one latch on the windshield header and folds into the cargo area. It swallows much of the trunk’s 3.8-cubic-foot capacity in doing so, but it looks smooth when the rear deck is closed: The top is fully hidden, no tonneau is required, and those bulbous fairings are among the Solstice’s most interesting design touches.

The MX-5’s top and trunk designs are more conventional, but easier to manage. Unlatch the top from the single latch on the header, and you can practically throw it over your shoulder at a stoplight. It clicks into place and was designed to look finished in the folded position without the use of a tonneau cover. It’s effective, although there are still small cavities at the sides of the top. The MX-5’s 5.3 cubic feet of trunk space is unaffected by the top’s position and much easier to access than the Solstice’s oddly shaped cargo bay, which also asks that you snap home the folding buttresses each time you close the deck.

Both cars have glass rear windows with defrosters. The MX-5 has a flip-down windbocker, while the Solstice has none. Pontiac gives you a cloth top standard, while a vinyl top is standard on base and Sport MX-5s; cloth is reserved for the upmarket Grand Touring level. While the Solstice scores style points for the neat looking rear deck, the MX-5’s design is easier to raise and lower and doesn’t eat up the trunk in the process. Advantage, Mazda.

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2006 Pontiac Solstice News and Reviews

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